Early Files 12-14-12

Thursday

Dec 13, 2012 at 2:00 AMDec 13, 2012 at 11:00 PM

Patriot Staff

1842

“I say, Jemmy, lend me your last ‘Barnstable Patriot,’” “Can’t do it.” “Pshaw, pass it over.” “I tell you I can’t do it; you wouldn’t lend me your new coat t’other day, you know!” “Nonsense—that’s another thing—I only wanted to read it to the ladies.” “Can’t come it, Jerry—I only wanted to wear your coat to go and see the ladies. Can’t come it this time, Jemmy!” “Well, I’ll not ask you again, I know—I’ll subscribe first.” “So you ought to,” said Jemmy, and went on reading his paper. Wish we had more such subscribers as Jemmy, every one such counts two.

1862

The crew of the schooner S. B. Howes, of Harwich, who were supposed to have been lost in the storm of Friday night week, succeeded in getting on board the schooner Milliard Fillmore, and reached Boston in safety.

1892

Have we a gold mine on Cape Cod? A bloody looking stone attracted the attention of our friend Carl last Saturday as he was looking for arrowheads on the banks of Mill Creek, and he at once pocketed it, took it home and cleaned it up. The blood color did not wash off, but a vein of gold, and crystals of silver made their appearance. Where could it have come from?

1902

Four little girls, who are boarded by the State at Mrs. Wilson Ryder’s, faced the bitter cold of Tuesday morning in their walk to the school-house in this village. On arrival at school one of the girls, Florence Lee found she was unable to use her hands to remove her wraps, when it was discovered they were badly frozen. The teachers of the two departments at once gave her attention, and failing to relieve her suffering, she was taken to the home of Dr. Milliken, where she was cared for, and later was sufficiently recovered to be taken to her home. But the little hands were too badly frozen to be restored, and on Thursday morning Miss Lee accompanied by Dr. Milliken, went to Boston for further treatment.

1912

Saturday was a fine winter day, mild and sunny. Christmas shoppers were out in force, and our streets have not presented such a lively appearance since last August, as they did Saturday afternoon. Autos and carriages were lined up on both sides of Main street from the Cash Block to Ocean street, and there were crowds inspecting the attractive show windows all along the street. Hyannis shopkeepers have an unusually fine display this year and they have taken extra pains to dress their windows in the most attractive shape. Out-of-town shoppers were numerous and all must have done a good business Saturday. It was really the best real holiday shopping event. This week will be busy days for everybody. Shop early and get the best of the goods offered and avoid the rush of next week.

1922

The schooner Salvatrice, with 2000 cases of alcohol, and the motor-fisherman Star, heavily loaded with supplies, were seized in the bay off the Cape Cod canal Saturday. Capt. Christopher Sullivan of the coast guard station noticed the Salvatrice in Cape Cod bay flying distress signals. He put out with his crew and, on boarding her, found only two members of the crew exhausted by thirst and cold. He was surprised to find that the vessel was the rum runner which had been sought for five days. Capt. Alex Lathrop with two of his men had landed at Nantucket at that time to secure fresh water, but a storm came up which prevented them from regaining their ship, which drifted off with only two men to handle her. The two men from the Salvatrice were taken ashore and given food, water, warm clothing and medical attention. They said they had sailed for Santiago from St. Pierre, and that the alcohol originally came from Antwerp. The outfit was taken in tow by the coast guard cutter Acushnet and towed to Boston.

1932

When 9,000 kilowatts of electric current were turned on at 4:45 p.m. Saturday they lighted every one of the many colored bulbs spanning Main street, Hyannis, and turned the thoroughfare into a roadway taken from fairyland. This is not such a whale of a lot of electricity but it is sufficient to greatly change the appearance of the street and to bring joy and delight into the eyes of every child on the Cape privileged to see these lights, and it serves the same purpose or many grown-ups as well. It marked the start of the annual Christmas illumination of the busiest and best business street on the entire Cape, and at once stimulated the holiday trade.

1942

If you see or hear anything, day or night, which indicates Enemy Activity go to the nearest telephone at once and call Hyannis Ten Thousand (10,000). You will be connected free of charge with the Security Information Center, where your report will be properly relayed to the appropriate Federal Agency. Give your name, address, telephone number and make your report clearly and accurately. Expect no answer to your report. If your report has valued and no apparent action is taken, remember that seeming lack of action is often intentional and part of a plan.

1952

Mrs. T. Marie Atwood is the latest contest winner in town. Last Friday she received a letter from Lever Bros. telling her she was among the 400 winners of an RCA Victor clock radio. Mr. Atwood had entered the Rinso contest, telling why she voted for Rinso as a good household soap powder.

1962

Our hockey team beat Bourne 12-0 Monday night. Almost every player on the team got a goal; even the Bourne goalie helped us along by knocking one in. Dana Hinckley is our new hockey captain with Mike Sullivan as first alternate. Friday night the basketball team, captained by Doug Campbell, went to Bourne for the Jamboree. If they keep playing as they did we should have a wonderful season.

1972

The kids arrive home pink cheeked and exhausted after a long romp in the back woods. With woods disappearing and crowed gridiron subdivisions sprouting like weeds, the romp in the woods could be a threatened Cape Cod experience. In order to avoid this possibility town and planners are looking to the “Open Space Village” subdivision planning concept. In the town of Barnstable there is an open space village by-law, and next spring the Planning Board will sponsor a town meeting article which could open Marstons Mills and Cotuit to its zoning provisions. For example if a 100-acre parcel were planned for 100 units, 30 acres would be consolidated for open space.

1982

It was lucky the storm dumped most of its 12 inches Sunday and didn’t disrupt business too much, some Barnstable residents said about the season’s first snowfall. The town operated at virtual standstill Sunday, although most all churches held their normal Sunday service and the Barnstable Quarterback Club football banquet went on as scheduled. By the time the white stuff had stopped falling Monday, a foot had dropped, town officials said.

1992

Besides summer business, Cape retailers depend on the Christmas season for a good chunk of their annual revenue. Last weekend’s nor’easter certainly dampened the spirits of local business owners, who saw a 25 to 40 percent drop in their business over last year. The good news is that there is still one week of shopping left before Christmas. The bad news is last weekend was the only chance for Cape retailers to capture some of that revenue from off-Cape visitors.

2002

The phone company is trying to be a good neighbor in Barnstable Village, even as the size and bulk of its renovated switching station on Main Street near the post office has some residents shaking their heads. “I spoke to the general contractor today,” Fire Chief Harold Siegal said. “He had asked me when the Stroll was so he could get the scaffolding down. I said. ‘You got four hours.’” So the platforms remain, as does the question about what will be revealed when they’re removed. “I thought the building was only going to be about half the size of what it really is,” said Joe Dugas. Marcy Santos said the contactors “have tried to make it stay within the setting of the village, but it is an awfully tall building.”

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